Healing Letters
by Nynayve
Summary: George runs away after his twins death. Will a certain someone be enough to bring him back home?


It had been three years since the end of the war. Three years since the death of Fred Weasley, one half of the infamous duo. Three years since George had gone home, or seen his friends and family. He had seen his brother's body, ghostly smile still on his face, turned, and left the Hall. His wanderings had brought him all over the castle, barely registering the fight around him. After Harry's defeat of Voldemort, George had walked out on to the grounds, a school broom in hand, and flew off.

Now he lived in a small Muggle village, where he worked at a bookstore. It was out of the way enough that he didn't worry anymore about wizards visiting and recognizing him. He had been working at a joke shop, but had been fired from there after telling the owner various ways he could improve his stock. Apparently, the old man didn't want to increase revenues.  
The bookshop was quaint, dealt in new and used books, and acted as the library. It wasn't very lively, but had a loyal clientele. George was please with his life of solitude, and was content to live out, if not the rest of his days, at least a few more months, or years, alone.

He did miss his large family, but the hole in his head couldn't compare to the void by his side since Fred's death. He followed the Daily Prophet and the Quibbler, and when it was reported that some people thought dead had only been in a magical coma, he nearly went home. The next day, however, the list of survivors was released; his happiness that Remus and Tonks were alive wasn't enough when it was confirmed that Fred Weasley, Colin Creevy, and forty others were still dead.

Ron and Hermione was also in the news quite a bit, their romance blossoming and becoming headline news. After a year, it seemed the novelty had worn off, and they were back to behaving like friends. In an interview with the famed 'Golden Gryffindor Trio', they said that Ron and Hermione had returned to being the closest of friends, and Hermione was sharing a small house with both boys.

George left the shop that night, musing over a piece of gossip he had heard from a few Muggle girls that day. A rain shower of shooting stars had been seen in the sky the previous night, and a large flock of owls had swooped overhead in broad daylight. Something huge had happened, and the owls were probably a Late Night Prophet, released with, what they considered to be breaking news.

Entering his small home, he was unsurprised to find a letter on the floor of the entrance hallway, and a rolled up copy of the Prophet. Unfurling the newspaper, he read through quickly, noting there were still a few 'George Sightings' and the usual dribble about Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Turning his attention to the letter in his hand, he was shocked to see familiar writing on the flap. Breaking the wax seal, and scanned the letter, reading the signature first.

_George,_

_I hope this letter finds you. I am using a bit of complex magic to send it, since owls haven't been working. I write only to fill you in on the family, as I am sure you are alive and as well as you can be._

_Fluer gave birth to a beautiful little girl on May 2, 2000. They have named her Victioire, and she is currently pregnant with another child, a girl to be named Dominique. _

_Ginny has just signed a contract with the Holyhead Harpies, she will play two more seasons, then plans to retire and start a family. She has been dating Lee Jordan for a few years now, though the Prophet has said she has been with Harry off and on. If you get the Prophet, ignore most of what they say. The Quibbler has it right, since Luna is now running it. She and Lee are planning a small wedding at the end of summer, probably in September._

_Harry and Ron are in the Auror program and are doing well. Ron ran the shop for a while, hoping you would come back. Lee and I run it now, with some help from Percy. Don't worry! We won't let him destroy your shop!_

_Hermione and Ron dated for a bit, but soon they were back to fighting, and now they live, with Harry, in Godric's Hallow. Harry rebuilt the house his parents lived in! Personally, I think that Harry and Hermione will be together soon, but so far, nothing. Now taking your bets! If you are wondering, Hermione helped me with this spell. I didn't tell her what I was planning, but she's smart, I'm sure she figured it out._

_Charlie is back in Romania, though he comes to visit a lot more often, much to your mother's delight. He still seems more interested in his dragons than in relationships, though he did say that there was a new witch named Megara on his team. Might be hope for him yet!_

_Percy is married now, to a lovely witch named Audrey, and he is head of the Department for the Control of Magical and Muggle Artifacts. Kingsley Shacklebolt renamed and rearranged a lot of the Ministry, you would hardly recognize it!_

_Your Mum and Dad are well, quite frantic after you left, though as your Mum's clock points your hand at 'lost' she worries less. _  
_I hope you don't mind, after you left, Ron expanded the loft over the shop, he didn't want the place empty at night, when he moved out to live with Harry and Hermione, he asked me to stay there. If you want me to leave, write me back, and I'll go. _

_I hope you reply, even if to kick me out. I worry about you, too. The world isn't the same without you._

_- Angelina Johnson_

George finished the letter with tears in his eyes. He hadn't realized how nice it would be to have confirmation of his family's happiness. He had never truly believed the Daily Prophet, old habits about distrusting the publication were hard to break.

He sat down at his kitchen table, parchment, ink and a quill in front of him, and reread the letter. Angelina. He hadn't thought about her in years, he had seen her only briefly at the final battle. They had spent time together, she had dated Fred after all, and she was a nice girl, fun to be around. He didn't think she was the kind to worry about her ex-boyfriends brother.  
Making up his mind, he lifted his quill, dipped it in ink, and began to write.

* * *

Angelina was just crawling into bed for the night when she heard a _tap tap tap_ on the window downstairs. Lifting her lit wand, she padded on bare feet down to the shop window. Opening the door, the owl flew in. It landed on a high-back wooden chair, holding its leg out to her. She removed the letter, and the owl flew through the still open door. Angelina closed the door, and started back up stairs, slowing to a stop half way up as she read the letter.

_Hey Angie! _

_I didn't know I missed you until you sent that letter! It was great to hear about my family, I've thought about going back, making sure they are alright, but I just can't. Not yet. I do want to see you, though maybe we could meet somewhere, and have dinner? _

_The second page of this letter is a proto-type Fred and I were working on. It's linked to a page I have, when you write something, and tap it with your wand, it will send to me. Easier and faster than owling, eh? I'll watch my scroll tonight I hope to hear from you._

_Thank you, Angelina, for thinking of me. Thank you more, for not asking how I am._

_- George_

Angelina raced up the stairs, dug out quill and ink, and sat down at the desk in the corner of her room. Chewing on her quill a second, she decided to go with a simple, "George? Are you there?" And tapped her wand.

**Yeah, I'm here, Hello Angie!**

_It's good to hear from you!_

**Likewise. How is the shop?**

_Things are good, we just launched a new product line aimed at First Years, candies that reflect ones inner House, they are 99% effective, we tested on all the Weasleys, Harry, Draco Malfoy (that was interesting!) Hannah Abbot and Luna Lovegood. Only Harry's didn't work quite right, it came out red and green. He seemed unfazed, so we launched anyway._

**That sounds awesome! You should send me one so I can test as well! I've had several ideas, though they all seem to lack the right oomph for a WWW product.**

_I'm relieved to hear you still invent, I would be worried if you didn't!_

**I've gotten a lot better. I miss him, Angie, like half of me is gone. I wake up some days, and forget, then remember everything that has happened. Sometimes, I feel so horrible, for running away, and secluding myself, after all Harry went through to make our world safe. **

_Oh George. It isn't quite the same though, is it? His parents gave themselves up for Harry. Forgive me, but Fred would be mad at you for thinking this way. You lost half of yourself, your best friend, your brother! We miss you, and want you to come home, but everyone understands. Or tries to._

**Thanks, Angie. How is Mum, really?**

_Really? She doesn't talk about either of you anymore. Ron tells me that it's just like it was when Percy was gone. Charlie has been spending time at home and little Victoire cheers her up. Harry reckons she considers you both gone forever._

**Poor Mum...Maybe I will owl her, let her know that I am at least alright... Angie? Please don't tell anyone you have spoken to me? I have several of these proto-type scrolls, I'm going to send them out, when I am ready. I can't handle the whole family right now.**

_That's alright, George, we understand. I really hate to do this, because I'm so happy to be talking to you, but I need to go to bed, I'm supposed to open the shop tomorrow morning. _

**Alright, no worries. And you are free to use the loft over the shop. I can't go there now anyway. Good night, Angelina. Thank you.**

_Good night, George._

* * *

Over the next few weeks, George and Angelina spoke over the enchanted scrolls quite often. She suggested he send a scroll to Harry, Ron and Hermione (they could all share one, she said) and to his brother Bill, for starters. After promising to think about it, he decided that sending a letter to Bill was probably the best choice.

_My second favorite brother Bill,_

_Hi! I know you are freaking out right now. Sit down, stop hollering, and let me explain. First off, I'm fine, physically. Getting better every day. I can't handle the whole 'fam damily' right now, but I figure writing a few members, letting them now I'm alive would make Mum happy. I'll write Mum next, but I'm sure this will make it to you before I can even finish her letter, so please do me a favor? Don't tell her yet. Just go over, and make sure she doesn't fall on her enchanted knives or something. _

_I heard you had a little girl? I require photos now, please! Also, enclosed is a scroll that is enchanted to transmit messages to me, and don't bother tracing it, your curse-breaking skills won't help you here!_

_- Georgie_

_

* * *

_

_Mother Dearest, and Father too,_

_Sit down, I won't want you falling. Bill should be there by now, have him help you in to a chair! I am alive and reasonably well, living in a Muggle village. I'm working at a bookshop, and as much as I love you all, and miss you dearly, I can't come home right now. It's still too soon..._

_Enclosed is a scroll you can use to write me, just tap your wand on the page to send notes. I love you, Mum, and you too, Dad. I think of you every day. I am sorry. I know I am being selfish._  
_Your favorite son, _

_-Georgie_

* * *

_George!_

_I'm writing you this letter from the kitchen of the Burrow, where the whole 'fam damily' as you put it has squeezed in, and everyone wants to say a little something! _

_Mum is still in too much shock to write, but she's been mumbling "Oh my baby boy, my Georgie, my baby" over and over again. I think it's safe to say you are missed and loved by Mother Dearest!_

_Dad is hovering over Mum, with this slapstick silly grin on his face. He and Mum are being a bit revolting, kissing and hugging, saying how glad they are to know their baby, their favorite-Oi! I thought I was the favorite, I'm the oldest!_

_Yes, I said that out loud, I've decided that writing what is said will make you laugh and miss us far too much to stay gone!_

_Ginny is now hurt that she isn't the favorite. She is after all, the only girl. Harry, laughing, thought HE was the favorite, Mum didn't even have to give birth to him! Hermione agrees, and Mum is laughing too hard to cry now. I love this family._

_Charlie is here, too, he says he has been filching dragon scales and teeth for you, like you asked, but he needs to know what to do with them. Three years is a long time to hide something like teeth!_

_Percy the prat is here too, with the lovely Miss Audrey, and I'm being hit in the back of the head. I'm passing this to Ron, so I can pummel a brother!_

_Hey George! Ickle Ronnikins here, with Ginny on one side and Hermione on the other, and Harry leaning over me in a very awkward way. Bill just ran out of the house chasing Percy, and Charlie hot on their heels. The older three have been channeling you and Fred, mate, I tell you, it's weird! _

_The shop has been doing well, we don't have too many new products, none of us are quite the inventors you were, but we have this candies, Sorting Hat Chocolates. Angelina Johnson, she's working at the shop now, came up with them. They turn your hair the color of your house! Of course, all of us made it turn red, which wasn't a very good test. Hermione looked good with red hair though, we should prank her more of-OW!_

_Hello George, Hermione here. The candies do work quite well, Harry is the only one who had any trouble, his hair was most red, but had dashes of green. We asked him, and he said the Sorting had liked a lark. Draco Malfoy ate one at work on accident, his hair was such a vibrant shade of green, his father had a heart attack! An honest to Merlin heart attack! He's fine now, of course, Draco thought it was rather funny himself. He has taken to carrying around the candies so he can eat one whenever he sees his father!_

_You said you worked in a book shop? Do they have any old publications? I need more books, and I've bought everything from the shops I usually go to. _

_Oi, quit talking books to him! Hiya Georgie, it's Gin. So, I've been dating your buddy Lee Jordan, he seemed so alone, we met up after Fred's party- Oh! After the war memorial, we had a HUGE party for Fred here at the Burrow. Everyone we know came to say good bye, I wish you had been there. There were fireworks, cake, pranks out the wazoo. Harry pranked Mum with the fake wands, and a Canary Cream! It was priceless, though, she didn't even yell at him. Must be nice, being the CHOSEN ONE...**STILL**!_

_My turn! Harry here, or, apparently, the CHOSEN ONE, BOY-WHO-LIVED, BOY-WHO-WOULDN'T-DIE- not quite accurate, actually. Ron and I are in the Auror program, using most of your inventions to liven up the dull days. Just not the same without Moody screaming **CONSTANT VIGILANCE** every five minutes!_

_Bill, Charlie and Percy are back, looks like they all fell in the lake or something. They are soaked! Charlie says to wrap this up right now, it's perfect Quidditch weather. I'm going to give you to Molly, and drag Hermione and Percy to the Pitch at Hogwarts! Old McGonagall lets us use it during the summer!_

_Hello George dear, it was so wonderful reading your words. I could spend days, filling you in on every detail, but I will save that for the next letter. Ginny and Lee are getting married Sept 1st, this year, and we expect Harry and Hermione will start dating soon. I love you so much, dear, and I hope to hear from you again soon. Your father sends his love!_

_Love from, Mum, Dad, Bill, Charlie, Percy the Prat, Ickle Ronnikins, Hermione (and Crookshanks!), Ginny and Lee, and The Chosen One, Boy Who Wouldn't Die- He gets it, Harry, go away._

The scroll on George's kitchen table glowed brightly, indicating a message. He had been curled on the couch, chatting with Angelina, who was just leaving to play Quidditich at Hogwarts with some friends. He went and picked up the letter, reading it quickly. When he was finished, he burst into laughter, and sat down to read again. He hovered over the last paragraph Harry had wrote. He hadn't played Quidditch in years. His gear was upstairs, locked away with his and Fred's brooms. Harry, Ginny, Bill, Charlie, Angelina...Lee would probably be there, and Ron was a decent Keeper, if he remembered right. They had the makings of a good group, but shame, no Beaters...

George, making his decision, raced upstairs, grabbed his broom and Beaters Bat, and left the house though his back door. Turning on the spot, he reappeared outside Hogwarts Grounds. Far ahead, he could see little people flying over the stands.

"I thought you might show up, if they mentioned Quidditch."

Startled, George whirled. "Angelina!"

"It's good to see you, George."

"Likewise. I...yeah. I miss them. I can't go back to living in our world full time, or the shop just yet, but I miss my family. You reminded me of that, Angie," said George, walking closer to her.

"Did I? Well, you did offer to take me to dinner. How's tonight, after our game?"

"Sounds wonderful. Now, let's go shock my family. We have to wait until Percy is in the air, I want him to fall!"

The family met many times that summer, usually on the Quidditch Pitch. George refused to go to the Burrow, and even being on Hogwarts Grounds was sometimes too much for him. The Pitch where he and Fred had spent so much time was surprisingly therapeutic for him, especially when Harry pulled rank, and called in Oliver and Alicia Wood and Katie Bell. Subbing Bill, a decent Beater, the old team played against the Charlie, Ginny, Lee, Percy, who was surprisingly good as a Chaser, Ron, Hermione and Luna Lovegood, who, if one beloved rumors, was dating Ron.  
When his baby sister got married on the first of September. George decided it was worth going home for. He never moved back into his old room, but he and Angelina bought a nice little house near the Burrow. They were married Halloween Night, 2001.

* * *

**Fifteen Years Later**

"Mum! We are going to be late!"

"No we won't, Roxy, it's only 10:30."

George, Angelina, Roxanne and Freddie Weasley crossed the barrier to Platform 9 3/4, and nearly ran into Harry and Hermione. Running around the platform were the rest of the many Weasley/Potter/Jordan children. Molly Weasley, with a practiced eye, was watching them all.

Percy's daughters Molly and Lucy, both with hip length red hair, were playing a clapping game with Lily Potter and Lorcan Weasley. James Potter, Sirius Potter, Teddy Lupin, Lysander Weasley, Scorpius Malfoy, Dominique and Luis Weasley all ran in circles, chasing the large black dog that belonged to Harry.

"WEASLEY ROUNDUP! COME SAY GOOD BYE TO US NOW OR NO CHRISTMAS GIFTS!" Ron shouted, causing all the children to freeze and run to their parents. Ron and Luna hugged their twins, Lorcan and Lysander, kissed them both, and sent them on their way. Percy's girls hugged their parents, then their grandparents, and ran off.

Harry and Hermione's brood, James, Sirius, and Lily, plus the little ones, Albus and Jasmine, were gathered around them, exchanging good-byes. Molly, looking at them, sighed, silently laughing that Miss Know It All Hermione had nearly surpassed her in children, and was, if rumors were true, pregnant with twins!

"Alright Roxy, have fun in your first year, don't forget, eat these candies on the train. Freddie, take care of your sister for me," George hugged his children, kissing them both.  
"Of course, Dad. Uncle Fred was asleep this morning, tell him we love him, okay?"

"You got it, kiddo. Now get moving."

Dean Thomas, under commission of Harry Potter, had gifted the Weasley's with two portraits of Fred, one for the Burrow, and one for George. Later that year, George, with some help from Professor McGonagall, gave Harry a group portrait of Lily and James Potter and Sirius Black. Remus had seen the portrait, and decided he, too, wanted one. George surprised him by revealing a second painting, this one with Padfoot and Prongs playing with Lily. The animals were able to change into humans, and vice versa, it was truly a work of art.

Watching their children get on the Hogwarts Express, Teddy Lupin standing next to his father, waving his friends off, George decided the war was worth it after all. He missed his brother, but Fred would murder him for spending his life miserable. Looking around at his family, laughing and talking to cover their sadness at the children leaving, Harry's youngest stealing Percy's loosely held wand and running off with it, this family was exactly what he needed to heal. He was stupid to think otherwise.

Beside him, Harry draped an arm over George's shoulders.

"Harry?"

"Yeah, mate?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Harry's scar hadn't pained him in nineteen years. Their family was growing, safe, and happy. All was well.


End file.
